dixie's notebook

With a Corn Cob Pipe and a Button Nose....

2012-01-26T19:40:00.003-07:00

A few days ago I was pulling out of the parking lot at Superstore. I happened to notice a car two spots over with a snowman buckled in the front seat. It made me laugh right out loud.

"What kind of a funny person would even think of doing that? I love it!"

I thought it would be fun to take a picture of it, but just as I was pulling out my camera, another car pulled in between us, obstructing my view, so I never got the picture.

I never really gave it another thought until just this morning when I went visiting teaching. As my partner and I pulled into our friend's yard I saw the very same car - with the very same snowman - parked beside me.

I should have known. The car belongs to Daughter #3's good friend. Who else? That kid is a riot!

The Concert-Goer

2012-01-14T11:52:00.004-07:00

Last night I went to a Jim Cuddy concert. The two tickets were a Christmas gift from The Mr. so I figured I better take him with me. ;)

As I was mulling over the thought of going to a concert -- especially one that we knew nothing about -- it made me smile. It seems to be a pattern for me. Let me preface this by first saying that I have rarely been to a concert in my life. As I reflected on this matter, I could only count five. But not one single one of them was attended because I loved their music and could hardly wait to see them in concert. They all had different reasons..........

TROOPER (1978 - Lethbridge - 16 years old) I had just broken up with my boyfriend and heard through the grapevine that he was already moving on and taking a date to this concert. So I did what any sensible girl would do..... I bought a ticket and went to a concert I didn't have any desire to see. I'm really not sure why I went. Maybe I was trying to prove that I had also moved on with my life and wasn't sitting at home pining over him. Or maybe I was secretly wanting to spy on him.

AIR SUPPLY (1981 - Lethbridge) I was getting ready for work one morning with the radio on. The deejay announced that the 10th caller would win two tickets to Air Supply's concert. I was right beside the phone so I gave it a try. I WON!! At this same time, The Mr. (who I was engaged to at the time) heard this on the radio in his car on his way to work. He was pretty excited seeing as that would be one more date idea. That wouldn't cost him a cent.

HAGOOD HARDY (circa 1989 - Kindersley, Sask.) As the newest member of the Arts Council (not to mention the poorest), I felt pressured to purchase tickets to at least one show during the year. We were a small town with a small budget, so the only name on the performers roster that sounded remotely familiar was Hagood Hardy. (Is anyone out there old enough to remember "The Homecoming"?)

FAITH HILL & TIM MCGRAW (2007 - Edmonton) My sister-in-law who lives six hours away was coming to Edmonton for this concert with a group of women. They had some extra tickets, and she wanted to know if I wanted to go. I didn't know any of Tim's songs and only one of Faith's, but the promise of spending a few hours with my fun sister-in-law sounded pretty good. So I plunked down big bucks for some performers I knew nothing about.

JIM CUDDY (2012 - Edmonton) We aren't what you call Jim Cuddy fans. (In fact I didn't even know what he looked like until last night.) I had heard his voice a couple of times on the radio, however, and commented that I thought he had a really cool-sounding voice. So The Mr. surprised me with the tickets for Christmas.

(As you can tell by the empty seats behind us, we got there a little early.)

Last night's concert was actually really enjoyable. We may have to do that sort of thing more often. Truthfully, though, I'm pretty sure I prefer to spend my ticket money on musical theatre. Now there's a whole other blog post!

Dixie

Goal Setting and Record Keeping

2012-01-12T21:06:00.004-07:00

Tonight I attended our ward's Relief Society meeting at the church. The theme was "Project Life". One woman first spoke to us about goal setting -- evaluating, planning, acting, reporting, re-evaluating, etc. It was so motivational for me!

Even though it's a new year, and traditionally we all make New Year's resolutions, prior to this evening I hadn't really given it too much thought. I knew I wanted to dejunk my house and start eating healthy again, but I hadn't really looked past that. But now that I've made some progress in those areas, I feel like I can move on to other things. Things that will be a blessing in my life, and my family member's lives.

The next two women talked about their experiences in journalling and record-keeping (Project Life). The scrapbooks they have kept were fantastic! And even though I know that's not the way I will do it, I do want to make a better effort at keeping a record of my life. Again, I'm hoping that this record will be a blessing to our family.

One of the girls quoted from Bob Dylan: "If you want to keep your memories, you first have to live them." That statement really resonated with me -- I felt like it combined both ideas of goal setting and record keeping. I came away feeling blessed with great ideas and impressions. And I'm feeling empowered.

Here's to an amazing 2012!

Dixie

Made Me Smile

2012-01-09T13:34:00.005-07:00

The past week in retrospect -- a few things that made me smile. In no particular order....

A few days earlier I saw a crew of safety-vested workman digging in the snow in this same spot and wondered what they were up to. It warmed my heart to think that our county council members thought it was important to have this fun little ice fort and slide for the kids.

Probably not a big deal to most people, but sometimes I have a hard time finding my favorite toothpaste, because all the newer, fancier versions have replaced it. So when I found this big stack of "Colgate Regular", I had to take a picture. And buy several boxes.

Hard to tell, but this is a picture of my dashboard displaying the outside temperature of 11 degrees Celcius (52 Fahrenheit). At 4:29 in the afternoon. In January. In Edmonton!!!

The bananas on the right were an average-sized bunch measuring 7 inches. The ones on the left were a whopping 13 inches!

With all my dejunking this past week, I was also able to get rid of two VERY HEAVY solid wood desks -- university study carrels, actually -- that we have been lugging around with us for the past 17 years. I was ecstatic when the Salvation Army said they would "gratefully accept" our donation. That ecstasy quickly faded when I realized that it would only be me and The Mr. trying to lift them into the back of our truck. (I'll be the first to admit I'm a weakling.) Imagine my delight when a VERY NICE man from our ward showed up at the door. I swallowed my pride and asked for his help. It was the best thing I've done in a long time.

I wish I had taken a picture of him to add to this "happy things" post.

But I do have a picture of a different guy who made me smile.....

The Mr. has been a great help to me this past week. After all these years, he's still my favorite guy in the world. And I think he kinda likes me, too.

Dixie

It's a Dirty Job, But Somebody's Got to Do it!

2012-01-06T10:22:00.003-07:00

I've got the cleaning bug. And I've got it bad. No room is off limits!

Dejunking my costume room Did I really need three rabbit costumes? Although having said that, Daughter #3 and her two friends did have fun with them a few Easters ago delivering treats to unsuspecting children at the park.
Efficientizing (?) said costume room This idea of knowing where to find something when you need it is great! Hmmm......I wonder if other people know about this.
Rearranging three bedrooms The new bedspreads, cushions and curtains I purchased months ago are finally getting put to use.
Downsizing the CD collection Wow! I can see the top of my stereo now!
Scouring a neglected shower stall Eeeewww! Enough said.
Revamping my closet layout It's funny how a double-decker closet rod and more shoe shelving can bring such peace of mind. And a cleaner closet floor.
Arranging food storage It will be nice to stop tripping over the Superstore green bins that had taken over the storage room floor now that the food is put away. Oh, and I can use my bins again instead of paying 5 cents each for bags.
Cleaning up Christmas I've decided I really have some ugly Christmas decorations, but I'm having a tough time getting rid of them. I guess there's a fine line between "this is ugly" and "but it's a tradition".
Organizing the storage room Just having the food storage and Christmas stuff put away is a big help, but there's still more to be done! If we haven't used certain camping gear in over 10 years, it should be okay to donate to goodwill, right? Now I just have to convince The Mr. of that.
Hauling a boatload of stuff to the second-hand store Do other people love this as much as I do? It's so liberating!!

The house is not the only thing I've been dejunking. I'm also doing a liquid cleanse for my body. (Too much junk in there from the holidays.) Good thing I've been at home cleaning all week. I can't be too far away from a bathroom!

Nip, Tuck and a Murder

2011-12-28T18:58:00.016-07:00

Everyone has Christmas traditions. Somewhere along the line our family picked up a strange one that has nothing to do with the holiday -- our annual Murder Mystery.

THE CAST:

Dr. Beau Tox

Cosmetic Surgeon

Dr. Den Chures Mae Kittbetter

Orthodontic Surgeon Nurse

Dr. Phil Sleepie

Cosmetic Surgeon

Dr. Fay Slift

Cosmetic Surgeon

Dr. Anna Lyst

Psychologist

Kim Plant Rich Zucker

Patient Patient

Staff and Patients of the Cuttendash Clinic

Note to Daughter #2: We missed you and your Mr. Handsomepants. And yes, those were balloons!

Dixie

The Resident Entertainer (Part 2)

2011-12-20T09:36:00.003-07:00

For the past couple of weeks I've struggled with posting my thoughts, but since this blog has become my only form of journalling, I know I need to do it. I even WANT to do it, but not sure how to pay tribute to the most influential woman in my life -- my dear mother.

Seven months ago I posted about my mom, the resident entertainer. To me she always has been, and always will be an entertainer.

-- She had a knack for rearranging words and music, and always seemed to be working out the details for her latest variety show.

-- She always had a new joke to tell us. Half of the time she couldn't remember the punchline, but that was usually the funniest part of the joke.

-- She could chord to any song on the piano, and always had us kids and grandkids gather around to sing old-time favorites.

-- She had a never-ending supply of costumes and hats, which she loved to dress up in, hoping others would join her.

-- She had a natural gift to tell stories. As my sister once noted, "Mom, it's not WHAT you say, it's HOW you say it."

-- She could make the FUNNIEST faces. She didn't care how unflattering they made her look -- she was always willing to take one for the team.

-- She had an incredible assortment of musical instruments and loved to play them all, even joining a weekly jam session in her 80's.

-- She could make anything out of cardboard, and created many wonderful props to delight audiences.

-- She was a terrible cook. Okay, I know that doesn't really fit into the "entertainment" category, but because of her many culinary mishaps, she has provided me with tons of humorous stories to tells my friends over the years. Entertaining!

I love this woman! And I'll miss her terribly. As someone mentioned at her funeral, "She hasn't really died, she's just taken her show on the road."

Dixie

Lately

2011-11-25T10:09:00.004-07:00

Just a quick list of some of the things that I've been enjoying lately:

*Meeting up with a few high school friends in Lethbridge for lunch and visiting. It was just like a great movie. We laughed, we cried....

*Running Showbiz Kids. I know I've said it before, but I love Tuesdays! And this year I'm lucky enough to get to do it on Wednesdays, too!

[Insert picture of 27 adorable children here.]

*Watching my grandchildren take part in their ward's Primary Presentation. So fun!

*Going for lunch at Cora's with a few women from my ward. When I told The Mr. how great it was he said, "You should do that more often." SWEET! This is one time when I will definitely be obedient to the counsel of my husband. (giggle)

[Insert picture of six incredibly gorgeous women here.]

*Finding a super deal on some costume hats for Showbiz Kids. Who doesn't love 75% off?

I'm hoping the fun keeps coming!

Dixie

Go Home! Go Home!

2011-11-21T08:47:00.002-07:00

A while ago The Mr. and I went to a church social. A western-themed church social. (And let me just preface this by saying that The Mr. was so excited to have an excuse to wear his cowboy boots.) Anyway..... after the barbecued beef-on-a-bun and the steer roping demonstration, we were told to form a big circle for square dancing. This is the part I was especially looking forward to.

The professional square dance caller was especially good at his job, and quickly had us learning a few basic tricks. We knew who our partner was, who our corner was, who the side couple was, who the head couple was, and most importantly, where "home" position was. We could soon do-si-do, allemande left and promenade with the best of them.

We apparently surprised the caller with how quickly we had caught on, so he decided to teach us some more advanced steps. He warned us that things might get confusing, but comforted us with this great advice: "Remember where your home position is, because no matter how crazy and mixed up you get, you can always go 'home' until you get your bearings, and then you can start up again when you feel ready."

After a few minutes of success, our little group of eight started falling a little behind and getting tangled. We knew we were in trouble, until one of the ladies in our group yelled, "Go home! Go home!" We all promenaded back home and waited until we were ready to join in again.

I've been thinking about this and how true it really is. When life gets crazy and a little too hectic and confusing, it's so nice to be able to go home and regroup until we feel confident enough to take on life's challenges again. (Of course that only works if our homes are places of peace and happiness.)

Moving on to a different story, but with a related theme, I've noticed how my 86-year-old mother is also longing to go "home" as things here on earth are getting pretty tough for her. As her body weakens with age and leukemia, it's interesting to observe that the things she's concerned about, all have to do with going home to be with loved ones again.

I think I've always known it, but between square dancing and spending time with my mom, I'm realizing just how important home really is. I'm recommitting to placing more emphasis on both of these homes.

Dixie

Room 805

2011-11-05T16:16:00.005-06:00

Last weekend The Mr. and I travelled to Banff to attend a Law Society Convention. The activities were being held in the historic Banff Springs Hotel. Several years earlier we stayed there on business, and were put up in a swanky room, which was quite a treat. Since we were paying for our own room this time, I knew it wouldn't be quite as luxurious as the last one, but still expected a fairly nice room. After all, this was The Banff Springs Hotel.

Upon our arrival, we were told they didn't have our reservation. After 20 minutes of waiting, we were finally told we could stay in Room 805. Apparently, in an effort to apologize for the inconvenience they had caused in losing our reservation, this was to be an "upgraded room with a spectacular view of the valley". How exciting! We could hardly believe our luck.

We took the elevator to the top floor and began to wind our way down the corridor towards Room 805. Something struck us as unusual, though, when we realized that the farther we went, the narrower and shorter the hallway became. At one point my claustrophobia started to kick in, and I began to wonder if I would make it.

"You can do this, Dixie. Just think of the end goal -- the upgraded room with the spectacular view."

Finally, at the very end of the hallway, we came to our room and opened the door with anticipation. And immediately began laughing. There it was -- Room 805 -- the tiniest little room we have ever stayed in! It was a triangular-shaped room with the corner cut off. As soon as we stepped into the room we were practically touching the bed. This picture was taken right in front of the door:

And if that wasn't funny enough, we noticed this little door cut right out of the wallpaper:

Here's what it looked like from farther away:

What's that all about?

I do have to say though, the room really did have a spectacular view ...... if you walked over to the very edge of the wall and looked out a small little window.

Dixie

Halloween Candy

2011-10-31T13:49:00.005-06:00

True to my nature, it's 2:00 on the afternoon of Halloween, and I still haven't bought any candy yet. Every year I keep hoping that if I ignore Halloween long enough, it will go away. Doesn't look like this will be the year. I better go buy some candy.

I signed up to have the missionaries in for supper tonight seeing as how that was the only day on the calendar that they didn't have a supper invitation. I guess everyone else actually likes to celebrate on this day and had plans. (They're obviously not poor sports like me!)

The missionaries told me that they had to be back to their apartment for the night by 6:00. Apparently the mission president doesn't want them to be out on the streets on Halloween night. Aside from the obvious fact that it would be a tough night to go tracting, I suspect that rule was created so that the missionaries don't get blamed for any bad pranks. Or are the recipients of any.

I kind of feel sorry for them. I wished I had've gotten on the ball sooner to plan a spooky Halloween supper for them, complete with eyeballs, brains, and the like. I think when I go buy my candy, I'll get something extra special just for them. Maybe that will help to get them in the Halloween spirit.

Maybe it will help me, too.

Dixie

Mixed Up

2011-10-24T21:14:00.003-06:00

I've decided there was a mix-up in Heaven. I really think I was supposed to have been born 20 years earlier. I would have loved being a teenager in the late 50's. Here's proof:

I love wearing full, below-the-knee skirts.
Oldies are so fun to sing along to.
Jiving is my favorite kind of dancing.
I would love to own my very own juke box.
I've always been pretty good with a hula hoop.
Some of the best toys were invented in the 50's. (Think slinky, silly putty, pez.)
I've always wanted to wear my hair in a pony tail.
I love chewing gum.
I've always enjoyed doing the hokey pokey (after all, that's what it's all about).

With the exception of that last line, I'm quite serious about this. I really do wonder why I was held back for those 20 years? Any thoughts?

Dixie

Fourth Sunday

2011-10-23T21:13:00.003-06:00

Today was our fourth Sunday family dinner. Everyone from The Mr.'s side of the family who lives in the area comes for a potluck dinner followed by games and visiting. I really enjoy these evenings -- especially the people we share them with:

The 14-year-old who heads straight for the piano the minute he walks in the door, providing the background music for our evening.
The sister and brother-in-law who always modify their recipes to provide a healthier alternative.
The newlyweds who can't keep their hands off each other.
The 20-something nephews who still give hugs goodbye.
The various girlfriends of the 20-something nephews who have been good sports and joined right in with the games.
The 15-year-old who sneaks away from the games to play on the computer and eat the left-over desert.
The one-year-old who keeps us entertained with her funny antics.
The niece (and mother of said one-year-old) who is so patient when it's definitely gotten past her baby's bedtime.
The "occasional attenders" who we'd like to see a little more often. (You know who you are!)

I love these guys -- I feel so lucky to have married into such an awesome family!

Dixie

And It's Not Even Halloween Yet

2011-10-13T17:05:00.005-06:00

Today I was scared half to death. Twice.

A month ago I received my driver's license renewal form in the mail telling me I had until my birthday to renew. Being the procrastinator that I am, I waited until the last possible moment to go to the Registry Office. After collecting my proof of identification, the clerk typed up my new paper license, and told me to look it over to make sure everything was correct. To my complete horror -- written in bold print under the word "age" -- it read "50". Whoa! That was the first time I saw it written. It was SCARY!

I was then directed to the room at the back where they told me I needed to have a new picture taken. (Apparently they frown upon pictures that are 10 years old.) After taking my picture, the clerk told me to come to the computer to take a look at it. EEK!! Seeing the two pictures side by side was more than frightening -- it was horrific! It was overly evident that my chin was saggier, my eyes looked baggier, and my hair was definitely more grey. SCARY!

The clerk tried to reassure me by saying that it wouldn't look "that bad" when it's printed in black and white. Hmph. She's probably only in her 30's. Probably 33.

Dixie

Salt Lake City

2011-10-07T22:18:00.006-06:00

Last Thursday The Mr. and I got picked up at 5:30 in the morning to head to the airport. Our destination was Salt Lake City. Our travelling companions were these 2 cool couples:

All of our husbands serve in the church together, so they know each other well, but in truth, we women really didn't know each other very well. So that, coupled with the fact that The Mr. and I have never travelled with anyone but our family before, made me more than a little curious as to how the weekend would turn out. I didn't need to worry -- it was tons of fun!

The reason for our trip was to attend General Conference, but we were able to do a bunch of other fun things as well. Things I've always wanted to do before I die. Such as.....

1) Attending a session at the SLC temple.

2) Volunteering at the Humanitarian Center.

We packed 720 school kits in all -- or one full pallet.

3) Taking a carriage ride around downtown SLC.

and...

4) Eating atop the Joseph Smith Memorial Building

in the Garden Restaurant (sorry, no picture)

Some other things we did (although not necessarily on my bucket list) were:

Touring Welfare Square

Shaking hands with M. Russell Ballard

Running into missionaries from home at the Conference Center

Eating at some great restaurants

Watching the film at the Legacy Theatre

Shopping

Enjoying amazing breakfasts at our hotel

Riding the Trax

Seeing John Bytheway in person

Making new friends

On Saturday night the girls attended "Ladies Night" at Deseret Book across from Temple Square. Wow -- it was crazy! Wall to wall women hoping to get a good deal, a coveted door prize, an autograph from their favorite author, or -- in my case -- a free cookie.

This picture is taken outside the window of Deseret Book.

That's Hillary Weeks in the forefront signing CDs.

And as if this wasn't enough fun already, Daughter #3 caught a ride down to SLC and joined us for a day and a half. So good to see her again!

Our flight home on Monday was supposed to be the end of our fun, but we were able to stretch that out to one more day when our connecting flight took off before we got there. We enjoyed one extra night and supper in Denver at the airline's expense. We were even able to share that fun with a young fellow Canadian who lost her passport and was stranded in Denver overnight.

This was definitely one of my favorite trips to SLC -- we may have to do it again sometime!

Dixie

Shopping Made Easy

2011-10-01T23:04:00.003-06:00

So, I don't want to make anyone jealous, but I've pretty much got my Christmas shopping all taken care. Okay, I don't exactly have the gifts purchased yet, but I've just discovered a little gem for one-stop shopping.

Since I forgot to bring along a book to read on the plane the other day, boredom forced me to read those magazines that were located in the seat pocket in front of me. And there it was -- the answer to my gift-giving woes. SkyMall.com. If you haven't had the chance to browse the magazine, please take advantage of the website. You'll be sure to find a gift for everyone on your Christmas gift list.

For example who couldn't use a stainless steel wallet?

Or a pair of Monet cowboy boots?

Everyone has to use toilet paper. How about making the whole experience a little more fun?

Do you have a budding hostess on your list? Why not give her this lovely "Bob" ice cube tray.

And here's a great idea for the pet lovers in your life.

Do you have a lazy person on your list? Here's the perfect holiday gift. This "pop-up" tree will have their house transformed in less than five minutes.

And finally, my personal favorite, this sun visor with built-in wig is sure to be a hit with the bald-headed man on your list.

So there you have it. Your shopping could be done in no time at all.

Oh, and if you happen to be on my Christmas list, just pretend you didn't see this and try to act surprised.

Dixie

C'est Fini

2011-09-23T12:06:00.003-06:00

I'm done!

After 44 panels (352 linear feet -- 2250 square feet), I'm finally finished staining our fence that we built last year. Can I hear a woot?

I guess I can't take all the credit. Daughter #1 helped me with three of those panels, and Daughter #3 helped with 8. I also have to give props to one of my neighbors. Just when I was coming down the home stretch, with a bad knee and definitely losing momentum, they turned on some music. It was loud. And I liked it. It helped me get through those last 25 feet. I even found myself dancing as a I painted.

With only six feet to go, I heard some other neighbor yell, "TURN IT DOWN!" And I thought to myself, "No, please don't. I really need it." Luckily the force was with me and the music kept going as I danced my way to the finish line.

Okay, so I didn't exactly have the moves like Jagger, but I'm blaming that on the bad knee.

Dixie

Thirty-three

2011-09-16T15:45:00.004-06:00

My son-in-law just turned 33. When I wished him a happy birthday, he didn't seem overly thrilled about getting older. I informed him that 33 was going to be the best year of his life. He looked at me skeptically, so I proceeded to explain.

When I was a young girl I remember my mother always telling me that 33 was the prime of life. According to her, that's when your body and mind are at their peak -- apparently, you'll never feel better. She was even convinced that in the resurrection, we'll all be 33!!

So, I grew up with the idea that when I turned 33 it was going to be the best year of my life. And you know what? It was. Probably just because I had told myself for so many years that it would be, so at some point I began to believe it. I think if we believe something long enough, we start acting like it's true, whether it is or not.

Well, the point is.....next month I turn 50. YIKES! I have been dreading this for a long time. But according to what I believe, I'm going about it all the wrong way. I should be telling myself that 50 is going to be the best year of my life. Since I'm getting such a late start, I'm going to have to do some pretty serious convincing to actually start believing it. So I've done what every sane person does. I've put a poster on my fridge with my latest positive affirmation.

Here's hoping it works!

Dixie

She's All Grown Up

2011-09-12T14:23:00.004-06:00

Well, the deed is done. The Mr. and I just got back from taking Daughter #3 to Idaho to attend Brigham Young University.

How could something so exciting be so sad all at the same time? Of course by "sad" I mean sad for me. I'm really gonna miss that girl. But.....

First time to move in to your own apartment.

First time to have roommates.

First time to take a university class.

First time to cook all your own meals.

First time to do all your own grocery shopping.

First time to date college boys.

First time to purchase textbooks.

First time to..... Well, you get the idea.

How could that not be so exciting?

Obviously by the smile, this picture was taken at the beginning of the trip.

Thanks to these two for providing our "bed and breakfast" on the way down. The egg mcmuffins were delicious!

Experiencing our first IHOP meal.

Day 2: Not quite so perky.

Checking out my old apartment from 31 years ago. I think it's hilarious that once it became dilapidated, they turned it into an apartment for guys instead of girls.

Waving goodbye from her apartment door. (This picture makes her body look really funny. Actually she was holding a pillow in front of her.)

So all in all, it was pretty exciting. And a little bit sad. But mostly exciting.

Dixie

Change of Heart

2011-09-02T22:33:00.004-06:00

I've never really cared for my mailman.

There. I said it. There's just something about him that has always bothered me. Maybe it's the fact that he walks across our lawn when he thinks I'm not watching. Maybe it's because he used a bad word in front of my daughters 15 years ago when they were delivering flyers. Maybe it's because he insinuated to said daughters that delivering flyers was beneath his dignity. Whatever it is, I decided years ago that he wasn't a likeable person.

But today something changed.

Today I heard him singing. At the top of his lungs. How could I not like that about a person? I do that myself. Okay, maybe not at the top of my lungs, but I sing in public. Often. And I like it when other people do.

So I guess I'm gonna have to give him a second chance. (I wonder if he likes show tunes.)

Dixie

Bittersweet

2011-08-31T14:01:00.002-06:00

A while back I walked in to my local Walmart. To my immediate left were shelves packed with all the school supplies. My first thought was, "Hallelujah! I never have to go school supply shopping again!" And then almost immediately I heard myself thinking, "Oh dear. I'll never get to go school supply shopping again!"

I didn't realize that something that I once dreaded every year would actually be missed when I no longer had to do it. And today was the first day of school. Living on a street with three schools, I felt a little weird this morning -- like I was missing out on the real action.

Luckily Daughter #3 told me I could buy her a new backpack for University. She's so thoughtful that way!

Dixie

On Being a Grandma -- Round 2

2011-08-24T21:39:00.001-06:00

One day after Daughter #2 left with her kiddies, Daughter #1 arrived with hers. It has always amazed me how much these kids look like The Mr.'s side of the family. ;)

Seriously, though, we did have a little fun with the costumes.

One day while baking with the five-year-old, we were discussing all sorts of important things. He confided in me that he could hardly wait to go to "the love center". Somewhat baffled, I asked him what "the love centre" was. He said it was a place where you do grown-up things. Not really sure whether or not I wanted to hear the answer, I heard myself asking, "What kind of grown-up things?" He matter-of-factly responded, "Like baking cookies."

Phew! That was too close for comfort!

Dixie

On Being a Grandma

2011-08-19T11:52:00.004-06:00

This morning I kissed these sweet faces goodbye.

They were here for a few days with their mother - Daughter #2. We played at the park, went to the farmer's market, had a movie night party in our pj's, watched a play, shopped, played games, baked goodies, had some girl time, and stayed up way too late.

Relief Society Pot Luck Activity

Showing their wares from the Farmers' Market

I love how little kids are so honest. It's always fun to "interview" them and see what they come up with. Here's a small portion of one of our conversations:

Me: When does a girl turn into a woman?

Them: When her hair turns white.

Me: So, is your mom a girl or a woman?

Them: A girl.

Me: Am I a girl or a woman?

Them: A girl.

Needless to say, I was feeling pretty good about that. My head (with the non-white hair) was starting to swell.

It was only 20 minutes later when my granddaughter came snuggling up to me, gave me a cuddle, and then asked, "Grandma, why are you so old?"

Ouch! Nothing hurts more than being brought back to reality.

Dixie

The Past Couple of Weeks

2011-08-15T14:00:00.005-06:00

So, it appears that the picture of the man in the drunken stupor featured on my last post, seems to have taken up permanent residence. I'm getting tired of seeing him, so I figure it's time to post again, even if it's just a quick summary of our past couple of weeks.

Here's what we've been up to:

1) Staining the fence we built last year.

2) Breaking in our new fire pit.

3) Attending "Taste of Edmonton" for the first time.

Sampling quail. (Tastes like chicken :))

Sampling deep-fried Mars Bar

4) Loving every minute of "Wicked".

And yes, by the clothes we're wearing, you can tell that we went directly to Wicked from the previous activity.

5) Reunioning at "Ol' MacDonald's Farm" .

6) Looking forward to a visit from Daughter #2 and her kidlets today, and a visit from Daughter #1 and her family at the end of the week.

And that's about it. Not much, but now I won't have to look at the drunk man anymore!

Dixie

FindYourBeach.ca

2011-07-28T21:29:00.002-06:00

The Mr. was in Calgary on business yesterday and came across this sight:

Somehow we doubt this man is helping Corona's campaign.

Dixie

Thirty Years

2011-07-22T13:30:00.014-06:00

Thirty years ago The Mr. and I got married. Whoa! Thirty years -- that's a long time. The on-line conversion chart tells me that would be 133 years in Dog Years. I'm guessing it would be something like 233 years if there was such thing as a Movie Star Marriage conversion chart. Either way, it's a long time. A lot of things have happened or changed in the last 30 years. The most obvious is our appearance.

Here we are in 1981

And here we are 30 years later

And here are some of the highlights over the past 30 years:

Birth of Daughter #1

(Look at that top-of-the-line baby seat/play pen. Nothing but the best for our children!)

Birth of Daughter #2

Law School Graduation

The purchase of our first home

(After seven years of apartment living, we thought we had died and gone to heaven.)

Birth of Sons #1A and #1B

Birth of Daughter #3

Our year in Utah

Some great family vacations

(Please try not to be envious of my groovy pants.)

The wedding of Daughter #2

The wedding of Daughter #1

The arrival of some adorable grandchildren

1A and 1B's mission call to Russia

(Where they apparently almost starved to death!)

Thirty years is a long time to be married. When you try to sum it up in a few paragraphs, it can't quite capture the true feelings that have developed over that time. Feelings of love, obviously, but more that just that. When I see my husband I feel comfort, relief, excitement, security, romance, joy, and a whole bunch of other emotions that I'm sure I'll think of (and wished I would have included) after I've pressed the "PUBLISH POST" button.

The Mr. and I have had a great 30 years together. I'm looking forward to the next 30!

Dixie

No Matter Where You Go...

2011-07-19T20:35:00.002-06:00

On Sunday The Mr. and I visited a church in St. George, Utah. Funny how all Latter-day Saint wards are pretty much the same. We've all got the same types of characters, just taking up residence in different bodies:

The Sacrament Meeting chorister who leads the music with so much exuberance that it feels like he/she has just participated in an athletic experience.
The thirty-something dad of several young children who puts his head down and falls asleep, leaving his wife to take care of all the kids.
The older gentlemen in Sunday School who has a comment for everything. Sometimes he even says something related to the lesson.
The Relief Society presidency member who is so sugary sweet. You're sure her daughters all wear matching home-made dresses.
The sixty-something woman who seems to be the authority on everything. If there's a dispute over the date, time, or place of any church or community event, she seems to be able to finalize it with her comment.

It's kind of reassuring to know that it's not just the doctrine, but the people, that makes "the church the same, no matter where you go in the world."

Dixie

First Comes Love, Then Comes Marriage

2011-07-17T22:32:00.009-06:00

Cindy, my sister's only daughter, married her sweetheart on Friday in the Manti temple, and The Mr. and I were lucky enough to be there. She and Matt make a cute couple, and it was so fun to be around them.

Now I want you to know that I love them both, but to be truthful, they are a couple of CHEATERS!! They knew they would run out of time to take all the pictures they wanted on the day of the wedding, so they got dressed up the night before and went to the temple to take pictures. I snapped a few of the getting ready process.

While we were busy helping them get ready, someone decided to help himself to Cindy's make-up.

And the next day....... (the real thing)

And it was so fun to get to know my nephews and their wives a little better. I think my sister and her husband really got some neat daughters-in-law!!

It was a great day, and I'm so glad we made the trip!

Dixie

Kids -- Gotta Love 'Em

2011-07-11T10:14:00.003-06:00

Overheard at the foodcourt:

Young Boy: Last time I was at A&W I had a baby burger.

Woman: Was it good?

Young Boy: Yeah. It kinda tasted like hamburger mixed with.... babies.

Told to me by a mother of one of my youngest members of Showbiz Kids:

Olivia: (Pointing out the window to Daughter #3 riding her bike) Look Mom!!

Mom: Oh, we know her, don't we? Good for her for riding her bike.

Olivia: She's only riding with one hand. She's so cool!

(Later that day the mom noticed Olivia riding her bike in the driveway.... with one hand.)

When I mentioned this to Daughter #3 she said, "Oh, I guess I should've been wearing my helmet."

Kids -- gotta love 'em!

Two Things

2011-07-08T17:11:00.002-06:00

There are two things that The Mr. has been threatening to do for several years.

There are two things that I vowed I would never let him do.

Oddly enough they are the same two things:

1) Get a pair of cowboy boots. (And actually wear them.)

2) Shave his head before he goes on a summer vacation.

Guess what two things The Mr. did within the past week.

Guess what two things I found myself aiding and abetting.

Pictures may or may not follow.

Dixie

There's A Last Time For Everything

2011-06-27T10:06:00.004-06:00

As mentioned in my last post(s), Daughter #3 has just finished grade 12, and with that have come a lot of "lasts". Her last day of school, her last day of early morning Seminary, her last high school exam, her last day to attend church with me in our family ward, her last time to attend Young Womens, her last school play, her last rugby game, her last awards ceremony. It's amazing how these things that are "hers" have become such a big part of "my" life. I guess being the last of five children, she probably gets a little more of my attention than my other children got. Probably more than she wants!

So, we're each entering a new phase in our lives. She's so excited to be moving on to that next phase. Me? Not so much.

Dixie

In All Fairness....

2011-06-14T10:01:00.006-06:00

I am boring. At least that's what someone might think who checked out my last post of Daughter #3's grad. I know that's what I thought when I checked it out a few days later. The pictures I posted where pretty staged and serious. So today, in all fairness to said daughter, I've posted a few pics of what really happened that day:

"My sister, the GRADUATE!"

"I knew you could do it!"

"I salute you!"

"C'mon, be respectful. She doesn't look that funny in her cap and gown."

"Okay, sorry. We'll quit flirting now."

"Enough with the pictures. I'm about ready to fall asleep."

"Someone called for a limo?"

"Okay act natural. Show enough to look like a good sport,

but not enough to look like the best sport."

"Can you believe he let us take our picture with him?"

"You lookin' at me?"

I love this kid!

Dixie

And The Winner Is...

2011-06-10T11:44:00.008-06:00

Okay, so a while back I promised to post the winner of Daughter #3's graduation dress shopping spree. I realize the picture's not great, but it just happened to be the only shot we got of her that showed the entire dress, from head to toe. What you can't really see from the picture is the tiny little flowers tucked into her Taylor Swift-style bun. Nonetheless, I think she made a great choice.

Here are a few other pictures from the day:

Overall, a very fun day, but........how can she possibly be old enough to be graduating from High School?

15 Minutes of Fame

2011-05-31T16:25:00.002-06:00

Just a few minutes ago I was checking in on one of my favorite blogs -- catalogliving.net -- when I saw something that caught my eye. Off to the side, in the area where it shows a few people who "like" this website on facebook, was a picture of Daughter #1. The fact that she likes it wasn't surprising. The fact that out of the 26,046 people whose picture could have been there, hers just happened to be there when I was checking! Okay, that deserves even more emphasis. !!!!!!

I have to admit, I exited and entered the site a few more times in rapid succession to see if her picture would still be there. It was.... for just a few more minutes. And then just as quickly as she rose to fame, she vanished. Oh well, you know what they say. Everyone has their 15 minutes of fame.

I discovered that I also have been captured on the internet. While checking out google earth satellite maps one day, Son 1A found our town. Zooming in a little closer he found our street, then our house, then ........me! I was so excited to be famous. And I even looked pretty good. I was bent over the lawn mower filling it with gas. (I'm so glad I was caught doing something industrious, and not just lounging on a lawn chair eating bonbons.) But just now as I've been searching to find that same image, it's disappeared.

Oh well, you know what they say.

Dixie

The Resident Entertainer

2011-05-21T19:26:00.009-06:00

I took a little drive this past week to visit my mom. Since I have last seen her, she has moved to a Senior's lodge. We used to call it "the old folks' home" but I suppose that's not politically correct anymore. Initially I was a little worried about her moving in there. I thought she'd be a little lonely, or missing her home, or whatever. Hah! She's loving it!

While everyone else complains about the food, my mom thinks she's died and gone to heaven. No more meals to make.
While everyone else misses their homes, mom's relieved she doesn't have a lawn to mow or sidewalks to shovel.
While everyone else whines about their tiny living quarters, she's grateful she doesn't have very much to keep clean. And to top it off she gets maid service once a week!

So, her spirits are in pretty good shape. She's having a good time, and seems to have taken it upon herself to be the resident entertainer. She puts on musical programs and tells jokes about old people. The funniest thing, though, was her walker. At first glance it looks pretty normal.

But upon closer inspection.....

you will notice that the contents include:

one kleenex box (okay, so that's pretty reasonable)
one garbage bag (for the used kleenexes) taped to the handle bar
one bottle of multi-vitamins
one piano book of rag music
one tambourine
one set of maracas
two harmonicas
three kazoos
one wooden train whistle
one pint jar of Roger's Golden Syrup (in case they serve pancakes for breakfast)
one bottle of cinnamon (?)
one bar of Irish Spring soap (your guess is as good as mine)
one pair of sunglasses (perhaps to give a hint of "rock star" while playing the kazoo?)

I think she has every right to claim the title of "resident entertainer". I only hope the other people are laughing with her.

Dixie

Today

2011-05-05T09:50:00.002-06:00

Today I am:

.....packing my suitcase with chips and salsa, games, strawberries, bananas, caramel popcorn, photo albums, chocolate (of course) and a couple of favorite movies. Oh, and a few clothes. I'm getting ready for a girls' weekend with my three daughters. We've never done this before, and I'm so excited about it!

.....trying to figure out how to arrange my Showbiz Kids classes for next year. I've had an unusually large number of registrants, so I need to make some adjustments to the class sizes and age divisions, and try to keep everyone happy. It's not proving to be too easy.

.....hoping that The Mr. can make it through the day. He's been sick for the past several days and having a hard time keeping up with everything. He needed to be out of town today for a long day of meetings, but he was up most of the night coughing, so didn't get much sleep. Hopefully, he can sleep on the plane. Hopefully his coughing won't stop others from sleeping on the plane!

.....making meals and doing laundry so The Mr. will be well taken care of in my absence. I think I should probably leave him something special while I'm away. Something just for him. Like maybe a package of cough drops.

Holding My Tongue

2011-05-02T19:24:00.004-06:00

When I was a young mother, I thought it would be a good idea to buy a sewing machine and learn to sew. My first few disastrous attempts were so frustrating, that I found myself wanting to curse like a sailor! I decided maybe it would be a better idea to put the machine away until the kids were off to college.

That sewing machine has pretty much remained unused over the years -- until the past few weeks. I've been sewing like a maniac trying to create, repair, or alter a ZILLION costumes for my Showbiz Kids. My experience this time around wasn't much more successful than it was the first time. But, as long as the costumes were only viewed from a distance, they looked okay.

But now that it's over, I don't want to see that machine again for a loooooong time.

Dixie

Spring Break

2011-04-21T07:46:00.010-06:00

Sixteen years ago we took our five children to Disneyland. It was a great trip, and we all have some fun memories. Everyone except Daughter #3. She was only a baby when we were there, so we always told her that we'd take her again sometime. Well, since she'll be graduating soon, we figured that we better follow through with our promise.

Yea! She finally made it!

Hanging out with the big guy.

The happiest place on earth!

She always knew she'd make it to Hollywood!

Checking out the stars.

This one's for Daughter #1.

Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum was amazing.

Life is like a box of chocolates.

Hangin' with my peeps.

The Hollywood Museum was great.

Unfortunately the "no flash photography" rule

once you went inside wasn't quite so great!

The Newport Beach Temple.

Chillaxin'

Legoland was incredible!

Everything is made out of lego except the car.

Oh, and the teenage daughter.

I gladly volunteered to be the one to take the picture.

San Diego Harbour Tour

Unknowingly getting burned to a crisp atop the third deck.

Getting outfitted for battle at the General Mercantile.

The Mormon Battalion Visitor's Center -- San Diego.

We finished off our trip by attending General Conference in Utah, which of course was wonderful. We also went graduation dress shopping while we were there. Here is a random sampling of some of the dresses Daughter #3 tried on. The winner won't be showcased for another two months.

The trip was so fun -- definitely worth the sixteen-year wait.

Somebody's Happy!

2011-03-16T20:19:00.003-06:00

It's official -- she's been accepted!

Show Me a Sign

2011-03-15T20:21:00.004-06:00

The sign in the store window said, "Spring has Arrived!" I wanted to march inside and ask the clerk if she could guarantee that, but decided against it. (I always feel obligated to buy something once I've engaged the clerk in small talk.)

Anyway, I hope somebody tells it to the completely white rabbit that ran in front of my car early this morning. And I hope the six-foot-high snow bank obstructing the view from my living room window also gets the memo.

Dixie

"She Doesn't Look Like an Axe Murderer"

2011-02-22T21:28:00.008-07:00

The other day I was cruising the parking lot at Superstore trying to beat the other eight cars to a parking spot. Any parking spot. But apparently none were to be found. At one point I was stopped behind another waiting vehicle when a complete stranger -- a woman of about 60 -- knocked on my window. She didn't look crazy, so I rolled down my window to see what she wanted.

"I've looked everywhere and I can't find my car!", she said suspiciously. I wondered if she thought I had stolen it. There was an awkward pause while I waited for her to explain further. Then she finally added, "It's the coldest day of the year, and I'm freezing."

Catching her drift, I asked, "Oh, would you like to get in my car and I'll drive you around to look for it?"

"Yes, please." She ran around to the passenger door and hopped in.

It was at this point I wondered if I had made an unwise decision by allowing myself to be alone with a total stranger. I wondered if she was thinking the same thing.

We slowly drove up and down each aisle of the parking lot looking for her lost car. Nothing. So we circled back and looked again. I suggested she use the key fob to see if she could get her horn to honk so we could find it. Still nothing. Finally after about 10 minutes, I saw a car that fit the description and said, "I'll bet that's it, isn't it?"

"Oh, I could just kiss you!" she said enthusiastically. We both knew that was a bad idea. She quickly introduced herself as "Lorraine", jumped out of the car, thanked me again, and muttered something about her mother being worried.

I soon found a space to park, and went into the store. On my way in, I saw Lorraine getting out of her car, which was now parked right on the front sidewalk. I said "hi, again" to which she replied, "My 87-year-old mother's probably wondered what happened to me. If you see her in there, tell her she can come out now."

I walked into the store and saw an elderly woman and asked, "Are you Lorraine's mom?" She responded in the affirmative. After explaining the situation, she laughed and said, "That's my Lorrainey!"

Somehow I just knew that this wasn't the first time Lorraine had jumped in the car with a total stranger.

5:15

2011-02-19T20:12:00.002-07:00

When The Mr. goes out of town for a few days, Daughter #3 and I go out for supper. Granted, most people call it "taste testing at Costco", but we've found a way to turn it into the full meal deal.

Here's the first thing you need to know: You need to enter Costco at 5:15. (Hint: If you want to appear that you're actually shopping, you should grab a shopping cart.) We casually make our way from table to table sampling the wares until we reach the end of the store. By that time it's about 5:30 -- and that's when the magic happens: Shift Change! Then we go back to the first table and start all over again. With a whole new line-up of taste test employees, no one's the wiser, and we get twice the amount of food. By the time we're done, we're pretty much filled up, and we've usually been able to get all the food groups. I used to feel obligated to make a small purchase while I was in the store, but I don't feel that way anymore. In fact I don't even grab a cart.

And I only feel slightly embarrassed.

Dixie

Tons-o-Fun

2011-02-13T22:05:00.004-07:00

Recipe For a Fun Evening

Good food -- check

Hilarious games -- check

A handful of college-aged kids -- check

We haven't seen Santana since she was a cute little four-year-old, and now she's a cute (not so little) 21-year-old going to University here. She and her roommates, and one of their boyfriends, came for supper. Sons #1A and 1B also came.

All I can say is, "Ton's-o-Fun!"

Dixie

Getting Misty

2011-02-02T10:05:00.006-07:00

For the past two weeks, Daughter #3 has been home from school because of semester-end exams. She actually spent a lot of time with me during her time off, and I loved it! We shopped, worked on a puzzle, shovelled snow, played card games, surfed you-tube, ate out, watched several old musicals (gotta love it!), and ate way too many tortilla chips with way too much salsa con queso. She just becomes more enjoyable all the time!

Yesterday she started a new semester -- her last one in high school. And I have to say, I'm a little sad. Her college plans for the fall will take her not only out of town, but out of the country. I'm getting misty just thinking about it!

I might have to console myself with some chips and salsa.

Dixie

A Few Flurries

2011-01-10T10:18:00.004-07:00

For the pasts few days the weather report keeps calling for "a few flurries". To me that means light snow falling every now and then. Apparently the meteorologists and I have a very different understanding of that phrase. What they seem to mean by "a few flurries", I would interpret as enough snow to cause shovelling-induced heart attacks.

Does this look like "a few flurries" to you?

That snow blower that The Mr. has joked about all these years is looking better all the time!

Dixie

Ringing in the New Year

2011-01-06T19:47:00.005-07:00

Another Year has come and gone, and our family welcomed in 2011 with what is becoming a bit of a tradition. A murder mystery. How could I not love this? It involves three of my favorite things -- food, family and costumes.

This year things were a little different than usual:

1) Daughter #2 and her Mr. Handsome Pants were not able to join us (sniff). We had to co-erce an innocent bystander to play a part to help us out. Thanks, Shawna for being a good sport!

2) We decided to make it a "gender bender" version. That means the girls acted out the men's parts, and vice versa. (I'm not sure I liked playing the part of man, but was it ever HILARIOUS watching Sons 1A and 1B playing Susanne Smythe and Madame Rosa respectively.)

Warning: These images are not for the faint of heart. Parents are strongly cautioned to safeguard their children.

Happy New Year!!

Dixie

A belated Christmas Present

2011-01-02T20:03:00.002-07:00

So, we've been married over 29 years, and did something for the FIRST time. We bought ourselves a brand-new vehicle.

It's a Hyundai Santa Fe, and so far I'm loving it.

What I didn't love, however, was the price-dickering. I wish car dealerships would just put a price tag on their vehicles, and you either buy it or you don't -- just like any other store.

Now, if you have heard any bad things about this particular model, please don't let me know. I want to continue enjoying it as long as I can.

Dixie

While Visions of Sugar Plums Dance in My Head

2010-12-28T14:09:00.002-07:00

Help! I can't quit eating!

The Mr. and I started out the month by doing a cleanse. After the cleanse I figured it would be easier to just keep eating well, and avoid sugar all together, instead of trying to pace myself with all the Christmas treats. Things were going really well, and I wasn't even missing the sugar.

I had told myself right from the beginning of the month that I would allow myself to have a piece of dessert on Christmas Eve, and then again on Christmas Day. But after that I'd go back to proper eating. Hah!!!

Once I tasted that first "forbidden fruit" I was hooked. It's as if I felt like since I'd been naughty once, I might as well keep it up. (I'm sure there's an analogy there somewhere!) One thing led to another:

Chocolates

Peanut Brittle

Shortbread

Caramel Popcorn

Fudge

It's like I've turned into my own Fat Booth picture.

Dixie

Ready for Christmas

2010-12-13T13:12:00.003-07:00

"Are you ready for Christmas?" In the past couple of weeks I've been asked that question more times than I can count.

"Are you ready for Christmas?" What does that really mean? I assume it's supposed to mean, "Have you finished your Christmas shopping and baking?" If that's what is meant, then sadly I have to answer "no".

The past two evenings, however, have provided a different meaning:

On Saturday night we attended our church Christmas party, where the cultural hall was perfectly decorated to resemble the ancient city of Bethlehem. Everyone came in biblical attire and participated in an open-air market, using pouches of gold to make our purchases. Later Mary and Joseph arrived to pay their taxes with the rest of us. Although they were not able to obtain lodging, they were told they could stay in the stable with the animals. There we witnessed Mary bring forth her first-born child, the Lord Jesus Christ. Music and narration was presented to retell the birth of our Saviour. Daughter #3 played the role of Mary, so it made it all the more special for me.
On Sunday evening we attended our Stake Christmas concert. Although the choir selections were far from perfect, there was a sweet spirit that attended the performances and spoken word. It set the perfect tone for my Christmas celebrations.

Am I ready for Christmas? I am now.

Dixie

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

2010-11-28T13:03:00.004-07:00

Yesterday The Mr. and I attended a funeral for an elderly gentleman named Stan. Although we had seen him on a few occasions, we didn't really know him. Our attendance was meant to show support for his daughter, who we know through church.

Until the funeral, we had only known Stan to be a fragile senior with Alzheimer's. What a treat it was to learn more about him as the letters from his children were read aloud. We learned that Stan was a fun-loving man with a strong work ethic, positive parenting skills, and a love of nature, music and family. It felt right to be there.

There were a few things, however, that didn't feel right. Like the fact that so many people showed up in extremely casual clothing. Like the man seated in front of us who kept laughing obnoxiously loud at his own jokes. It seemed to me it would have been nicer to show more respect to Stan by dressing and acting a little more dignified. But I guess I shouldn't judge. Maybe Stan would have wanted it that way. In fact, I'm sure Stan is far more tolerant than I am.

But did that one person really have to clip their fingernails so loudly throughout the entire funeral service? I bet even Stan found that a little disgusting.

Dixie

Family

2010-11-18T20:28:00.002-07:00

This past while my thoughts have been focused on my family. How much I love and appreciate them. How much I worry about them. How much I enjoy being with them, and miss them when they're not around. What a wonderful blessing to belong to a family!

Last week I was informed that my mom was taken to the hospital and not doing well. Of course I wanted to be there. Because she's my mom, and I love her.

So I hopped a plane, and Kim picked me up at the airport and chauffeured me the extra 45 minutes to the hospital. Because she's my sister-in-law and she's cool like that.

I was impressed to see the love and concern my brother and sister, and my grown daughters showed for my mom, although it wasn't really a surprise. Because that's what families do.

The Mr. and Daughter #3 arrived a few days later to check up on Mom. Later they took me with them to visit Daughter #2 and her family, as promised. What a fun time we had enjoying nature, playing games, visiting, and eating. Because those things are more fun when you have a family to do them with.

I loved practicing a song with my grandchildren on Saturday night, and then watching them sing in church (with the other children) the next day. It was especially fun to see them take their seats on the pew again, and then flash me a big "thumbs up". It warmed my heart. Because they're my grandchildren, and I love them.

I'm looking forward to Daughter #1 visiting with her children in four days. I can't wait to give them hugs and kisses and do fun things with them. Because that's what grandmas are good for.

Tonight Sons 1A and 1B called -- just to chat. Gotta love that! Because I miss them terribly since they moved out.

I love my family! What would I do without them? Because they're pretty much the only ones who read my blog :)

Dixie

Thirty-nine Years Ago...

2010-11-05T22:08:00.003-06:00

Today I shed a tear of disappointment as I read the newspaper. David Cassidy was charged with a DUI in Florida.

What's become of David?

When did he go down hill?

How could he have changed his ways so quickly?

He was always such a nice wholesome young man.

Wait a minute. The newspaper just said that this "young man" was now 60 years old. Has it really been 39 years since he was making headlines as a teen idol? Has it really been 39 years since I called my first meeting as president of the fifth grade "David Cassidy Fan Club"?

I remember listening to one of his records over and over and over again in my bedroom. I'm sure my mom wished she would never have gotten it for me as a birthday gift. And how could anyone resist watching "The Partridge Family"? He was about the cutest thing I'd ever seen. While other girls were swooning over Donny Osmond and Michael Jackson (mere babies), I was interested in a more mature 21-year-old.

Okay, David, I'll forgive you this once, but don't let it ever happen again.

Dixie

Happy Halloween

2010-10-30T10:20:00.006-06:00

Having decided years ago that she would never dress up as a princess, Daughter #3 broke her promise to herself this year and wore a Princess Leia costume to school on Friday. Okay, so not exactly your typical princess, but still a princess.

Later that night for the dance:

She apparently enjoyed dressing as a princess so much, that on the next night she dressed as Gwynnvere from Camelot. (Sorry, no picture.)

I, myself, have decided to opt out of Halloween this year. So, as a repellant to trick-or-treaters, I will be practicing my "Tap Dance Class" choreography in front of the open window.

Dixie

A Trip Down Memory Lane

2010-10-25T10:12:00.004-06:00

Last week for my birthday, Daughter #3 presented me with a very unusual gift:

The 1974 Eaton's Fall and Winter catalog.

Wow -- did that ever bring back a lot of memories! I've had such fun perusing its pages this past week.

In the fall of 1974 I turned 13 years old. (Okay, I'll make it easy for you. I just turned 49.) I must have still been wearing children's sizes, because all the girls' outfits looked familiar to me, unlike the women's outfits. Even the young girl models seemed like old friends. My favorite girl was this one in the yellow shirt:

Doesn't she look like a fun girl? I use to imagine that she loved having fun in a natural and wholesome way, and that she and I would have been good friends if we knew each other. I always thought that the clothes she wore were the cutest, probably just because I liked her the most.

I never really cared for the girl with the blonde hair. She always seemed a little too "Cindy Brady"ish to me. I imagined she was terribly spoiled.

I don't remember ordering any of those particular outfits, but I do remember owning these exact same shoes. I have to admit, I still think they're kind of cute.

In the fall of 1974 I definitely remember thinking: "How cool are these guys?"

I may have still been wearing children's size clothing, but my tastes in mature men were clearly a little more developed!

Dixie

Really?

2010-10-22T13:09:00.002-06:00

Yesterday while browsing the Halloween aisle at Walmart, I had only one thought: "What is this world coming to?"

Every costume for adult women was.....how do I say politely.....naughty. There was a naughty nurse, a naughty policewoman, a naughty Victorian woman, a naughty pirate, a naughty prisoner, several naughty fairy tale characters.... And the list goes on. Every single costume included fishnet stockings, stilettos, and a whole lot of cleavage. Really?

I wondered how the fishnet stockings would help a nurse perform her duties more effectively. Or how the high heels would help a policewoman to pursue a criminal more easily. And have they forgotten that a witch is supposed to have green skin, scraggly hair, and a wart on the end of her crooked nose?

And don't even get me started about Little Red Riding Hood. Something tells me her grandmother would roll over in her grave if she knew how Little Red was dressing these days.

Dixie

Tons O' Fun

2010-10-20T11:46:00.003-06:00

So yesterday was Tuesday, and as I've said before, I love Tuesdays! That's the day I run my children's musical theatre class. I have another fun bunch of kids again this year:

There's the girl who sings every song with so much facial expression I think she's going to burst.

There's the girl who arrives early each week and follows me around giggling at everything I say.

There's the boy who asks every week if I have a treat for the class, not really expecting it, but he knows that everyone expects him to ask, so he does.

There's the girl who uses the bathroom twice each class... just to make sure she's getting her money's worth, I suppose.

There's the other girl who once spent a total of 30 minutes in the bathroom, all the while assuring us she was fine. (I discovered later that she was just decorating her disposable drinking cup so it wouldn't get mixed up with the others.)

How could you not love these kids? Or this job?

Dixie

Spicing Things Up

2010-10-07T19:53:00.004-06:00

I've decided my life is too boring. Too predictable.

Recently I've been talking to four different women who have told me the most fascinating details of their very recent lives. In some cases these stories have left me giggling uncontrollably, in others with my jaw hanging open in disbelief. I found myself almost resenting their riveting lives, wishing I had one of my own to tell about. I'll have to see what I can do to spice up my life.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm running late for my Nude Tap Dance class.

Dixie

The (Almost) Finished Product

2010-10-05T17:53:00.004-06:00

So for those who care (mostly Daughters #1 and #2), here are a couple of pictures of our new backyard. Take particular note of the beautiful fence. The beautiful fence that The Mr. and I have slaved away on. For the past. three. months.

Okay, to be fair, we also recruited our kids to help out now and then. And, to be even more fair, the biggest change to our back yard is probably the work done by the landscaping crew. But that doesn't mean that I'm any less proud of the work I did on the fence.

It seems like it took FOREVER. With all the rain and the newly-acquired church responsibilities for The Mr., it's been a long, drawn-out process. But we are SO close to being finished that I can almost taste it!

I think the thing I'm looking forward to the most, is the opportunity to spend a date night with The Mr. that doesn't involve power tools.

Dixie

The Perfect Party Guest

2010-09-28T22:05:00.006-06:00

The Mr. and I threw a little party the other day. It was a real casual affair -- potluck supper, games, and visiting. I was expecting 12 guests, so was a little surprised when one couple each brought a friend of their own. Normally I don't appreciate that kind of thing, but these particular guests weren't a bit of trouble. In fact they added quite a bit of fun to the party.

During supper they were very quiet -- we hardly knew they were there. Later as we were debating over the rules to a particular party game, one of these guests came to the rescue by providing a very detailed description of the exact way to play it. When the fun of the games died down, and we started visiting, both these guests had us laughing for the rest of the night. They shared their knowledge with us about all the current movies. All we had to do was mention a movie title, and they not only informed us when was the best time to leave, but EXACTLY how much time we had and what we would miss. Later they kept us in stitches as they showed us what all our friends would look like if they gained A LOT of weight.

"Who were these guests?" you ask. Well, I'll tell you. Or rather, show you.

The Mr. had a similar friend arrive by Fed Ex today. He's a happy boy.

Dixie

Too Funny

2010-09-25T13:13:00.005-06:00

I love this. It's definitely worth watching. Maybe even twice.

Dixie

On A Mission

2010-09-17T17:10:00.002-06:00

Lately I've been on a mission to purchase a dress. Nothing fancy. Nothing trendy. Just an all-purpose dress, with a bit of class, that I could wear to church. For the past few years I've been going the skirt route. In fact I have a black skirt that gets worn far more than any skirt deserves to be worn. I figured since dresses have made a comeback recently, it wouldn't be too hard to find something. What a laugh!

Too short, too tight, too revealing, too glitzy, too everything. But mostly too short. The dress designers all seem to be in cahoots rights now: "Let's make all our dresses the same length. You know that length that makes beautiful legs look even more beautiful, and ugly legs look even more ugly." Sadly my legs fall very definitively into the second group.

I, however, will not give up. I am on a mission and will not stop until I succeed!!

Dixie

Movin' Out

2010-09-05T13:20:00.003-06:00

After several months of advance warning, I'm still having a hard time coming to grips with something: Sons 1A and 1B moved out! They found a cute little apartment in the city, packed their bags, and headed out. The nerve!

Well, the truth is, we've always told our kids that they shouldn't be hanging around the house for too long once they get to be young adults. (Somehow I've always felt that would stunt their social lives, not to mention our financial reserves!) But when the time actually came for them to go, it was a little harder than I anticipated.

Here's wishing them the best as they embark on this new phase in their lives!

(And boys, if you're reading this, please get a phone. I'm only prepared to cut the apron stings, not throw them away entirely!)

Dixie

Fencing, Family and Fun

2010-08-25T08:16:00.006-06:00

Fencing

For the past several weeks, I have been learning the art of fencing. Not the kind involving swords and protective gear. I'm talking about the other kind. You know - lumber, screws, post hole augers. What fun we've been having (read that with a slight tone of sarcasm) as we are racing the clock to get this done, all the while fighting rain and mosquitoes.

Six times in a row - SIX - we would just barely get all the supplies and tools hauled out of the garage and start working, when it would start to rain and we would have to haul it all back inside again. Now, I'm not talking a little drizzle. This was all out torrential downpours, and even once we were pelted with hail as we struggled to get everything put back in the garage. It has become the family joke that maybe during drought years we could offer to build someone's fence to help bring on the rain.

We have had a couple of productive days, however, and our fence is starting to looking pretty good, if I do say so myself. In our 30-year old neighborhood, it certainly looks better than all the other delapitated fences.

I'm trying not to get a swelled head over it.

Family

At the beginning of the month The Mr. and I hosted a mini family reunion at our house. Not many of us - just our own little family. We started out with five children, and now we've added two sons-in-law and four grandchildren. Still not a huge number, but it's so fun to welcome each new addition to the family, and I'm looking forward to what the future holds in that department. My thoughts have been centered on my family this summer. Thoughts of how they have grown. Thoughts of the kind of people they have turned out to be. Thoughts of how much I love them.

(You have lots of time to think while you're building a fence!)

The Early Years

One Year Ago

Fun

One of my favorite things to do is watch live theatre, especially musical theatre. I've taken two trips to Cardston this summer to attend the Carriage House Theatre's summer productions. The first trip was with The Mr. (after our previously mentioned camping trip) to see "Thoroughly Modern Millie". The second trip was with Daughter #3. We saw "Curtain Call", "Little Women", and "Thoroughly Modern Millie" again. Fun, fun, fun.

Each time I come home dreaming about being younger and having a little more talent.

Dixie

Camping With The Mr.

2010-08-02T21:45:00.005-06:00

Daughter #3 was attending a week-long musical theatre camp.

Sons 1A and 1B were busy with their summer jobs.

So, The Mr. and I decided to take a little vacation without them. Nothing very exciting, but you'd think that The Mr. had died and gone to heaven. We went camping at Waterton.

As noted earlier, I'm not much of a camper. Okay, that's an understatement. But The Mr. absolutely loves being in the mountains. Unlike me, the thought of seeing wildlife doesn't frighten him a bit.

He could hardly wait to revisit the place where he spent so many of his family vacations as a child. He even convinced his parents to come camping with us to help relive the memories. Normally I would have preferred to stay back at the trailer reading a book while he went off to do "nature things". But I decided to be a good sport and tag along. (Didn't want the in-laws thinking too poorly of me!)

Things weren't going too badly -- By day three I had only seen a few deer and chipmunks. Nothing too intimidating. And then......

After that I was a nervous wreck! Thankfully Daughter #2 and her children came for an afternoon visit. I knew if we played hard enough with them, they would make sufficient noise to keep the wildlife away.

On day four we packed up the trailer and headed to Cardston to set up camp at the Lee Creek Campground. Now this was my kind of campground: Free Showers, Flush Toilets, Laundromat, Free Wifi, and best of all.....it was right in the middle of town -- no chance of wildlife!!

Dixie

Skills

2010-07-14T10:36:00.004-06:00

I survived Young Women's Camp! As noted in my previous post, I was not looking forward to it. Not that I don't love the girls, 'cause I do. I guess I just don't love all the inconveniences of trying to live in nature. I did, however, learn a few new skills I had not previously known:

I learned how to light - and cook on - a propane-fueled camp stove. I somehow became the camp cook (although not previously assigned) so that was a good skill to acquire.
I learned that a container of wet wipes makes it possible to take a quick "bath" in the privacy of an outhouse.
I learned the importance of closing the toilet lid and layering it with well-placed, clean toilet paper strips so you have somewhere clean to place your belongings while taking said "bath".
I learned the art of balancing on one foot while putting on clean underwear and clothes in the outhouse.

I'm thinking Napolean Dynamite would be happy for me knowing that I have skills.

Dixie

11 Days

2010-06-29T11:27:00.003-06:00

So, once again I've been asked to go to Young Women's camp. For those of you who know me well, you know that I would rather undergo a root canal. I AM NOT A CAMPER. Never have been. Never will be. But for some reason, I keep getting asked to go. Actually, I just found out that several other women were asked before me, but they had the good sense to decline. I never realized that was option. I'll keep that juicy piece of information tucked under my belt for next year!

We leave one week from today. The only good thing about that, is the fact that 11 days from now it will all be over, and then I can enjoy my summer.

Dixie

And the Winner is.....

2010-06-15T11:41:00.002-06:00

Last week The Mr. and I decided to purchase new interior doors for our home. A certain unnamed lumber store was having their 10th ANNIVERSARY SALE, and, as luck would have it, the doors we wanted were 25% off. We placed our order with a nice man by the name of Lorne only 5 minutes before the doors closed (and the sale ended) on Saturday.

On Monday morning I received a phone call from Lorne informing me that our order had qualified us to have our names entered into a draw for an anniversary door prize and we were the winners!!

"How exciting! I wonder what the prize is? A trip for two to Hawaii? A $1000 in-store credit?"

Not wanting to appear too eager, I waited a day before returning to the store to collect my prize. When I arrived I saw Lorne and a couple of other men at the counter. With great anticipation I approached the counter and stated my business, anxious to get the actual gift in my hands. I guess I was a little disappointed when I discovered the said gift was a portable CD player.

"Okay, well, that's still a nice gift. I guess I shouldn't have been so greedy! Yes, of course. A CD player is a very nice gift."

I thanked Lorne and the other men, and left with my door prize. As I was putting the box in my trunk, I noticed these words:

Portable CD player with cassette

"With cassette! Nobody makes cassettes anymore. How old is this thing? Has this "gift" been around since the first anniversary sale?"

I could just picture it: every year for the past nine anniversary sales, Lorne and his gang tried to pawn off this little beauty on unsuspecting customers, only to be told, "Oh, no thanks. Go ahead and give it to someone else." I imagine it's been sitting around taking up valuable space in the office, just waiting for someone like me to give it a home. I'm sure they were thrilled to finally be rid of the thing.

I felt a little silly as I closed my trunk and drove away. I can't be certain but as I looked back through the window, I think I saw Lorne and his buddies giving high fives!

Dixie

Tuesdays

2010-06-08T18:52:00.005-06:00

Today is Tuesday, and I had the day off. But I've had mixed feelings all day, because I've really come to love Tuesdays.

Tuesdays = Showbiz Kids.

Last week my little group of Showbiz Kids put on their year-end show, so now we're done. I really enjoyed this group, and I miss them already! How could you not love these sweet faces?

So now I'm gonna have to find something else to do on Tuesdays. Maybe those windows I've been putting off since 2004 will finally get washed. Or maybe not.

Dixie

Grateful

2010-06-01T20:24:00.003-06:00

As I left my house earlier today to make a quick dash to the store, the thought came to me to take my cell phone with me. (You know, the little thing I almost always forget to take with me -- or actually turn on if I do remember.) I decided to ignore the thought because I was in a rush, and would only be gone a few minutes anyway. The thought came again, so I went back inside, retrieved the phone, and continued on.

On my drive home from the store, I happened to glance over to the opposite side of the street. Just at that moment I saw a man on the walking trail take a nose dive. He fell face-first onto the cement.

"Ouch! That's gotta hurt!"

By this time I had driven past, but as I looked back I could tell he was not moving. I was in a busy lane of traffic, so it took me awhile to find a pullover spot, but I got out my phone and dialed 911.

I was actually surprised at how calm I was as I reported the incident, gave directions for the paramedics, ran back to the scene of the accident, and flagged down the approaching ambulance. Normally I'm the type of person who would get all flustered and tongue-tied in a situation like that, but I felt like I was receiving some extra help from above.

I'm grateful for that extra help.

I'm grateful that I received the prompting to take my cell phone with me.

I'm grateful I heeded that prompting.

I'm grateful that the paramedics arrived so quickly.

I'm grateful that the man was conscious -- albeit, not coherent -- when we all arrived, and was well on his way to receiving the help he needed.

I'm so grateful.

Dixie

I Stand Corrected

2010-05-27T23:30:00.003-06:00

Editor's Note: Today's post features a guest blogger. Apparently someone *cough*Daughter #2*cough* feels she needs to put in her two cents. Here it is:

Dear Mom,

I settled in to read this highly anticipated blog post, ready to have a good chuckle about this silly little scenario (which may or may not have emotionally damaged me, but that’s neither here nor there). After reading through the entire post, I came to one conclusion: clearly you are delusional.

First of all, you stated that you came across the Nike shoes in the exact shoe size of Daughter #2. Being Daughter #2, I can emphasize that unless my feet at age 12 were a Mens size 8, they were definitely not the exact size.

Secondly, even after the jiffy-marker job they were hardly a perfect resemblance. The kind of Nike shoes I wanted looked something like this:

The shoes you found for a mere $2 looked exactly like this:

While I appreciate your effort and enthusiasm, the chic-black-and-white low-tops were much more in fashion than the puffy-foam-stuffed high-tops.

Also, you left out the best part of the story. After the not-so-permanent marker wore off in the snow my peers teased me so badly, I took those silly high-tops off, left them in my locker, and walked around in my socks for the rest of the day. And then waited until everyone left the school before putting them back on to walk home. In the snow.

Despite my teasing, I feel the need to commend you for #1) being a bargain shopper, hello shoes for $2! And #2) for keeping me in mind whilst shopping. Keep up the good work. I now wear a size 7. That’s Ladies.

All kidding aside, this story really does show how great of a mom you are. A mom who would do anything to help her daughter feel loved and popular. All for only the small price of mass humiliation.

Love Always,
Daughter #2

Feeling Guilty

2010-05-25T18:23:00.003-06:00

So, after my last few posts about my mom, I'm feeling a little guilty. Did I sound like an ungrateful, spoiled daughter who only cares about my own feelings? I sure hope not, 'cause I love her so much. And the older we both get, the more I appreciate everything she's done for me and everything she represents:

She's incredibly honest.
She's reliable.
She's a very hard worker.
She's a friend to the underdog.
She's a woman of faith.
She loves to have fun.
She's extremely frugal (as illustrated in several of my stories.)
She's amazingly creative (as also illustrated in several of my stories.)

The point is, I can't think of anyone else who I would rather have for a mother than her. And just to prove that she's not the only mother who can embarrass her daughter, here's another story:

In 1996 Daughter #2 was in the seventh grade, and black and white Nike high-tops were all the rage. How I would have loved to have been able to afford to get a pair for her and her older sister. But at $100 a piece, and our tight budget, that was never going to happen.

One day, while browsing at a second-hand store, I came across a pair of hardly-worn Nike high-tops in the exact shoe size Daughter #2 wore. Okay, so they weren't black and white -- they were, in fact, entirely white -- but nothing that a black permanent marker couldn't fix! And for only $2, how could I resist?

When I got them home, I whipped out a jiffy marker and quickly transformed them into a perfect resemblance of the real thing. The $100 real thing! When Daughter #2 came home from school, I showed her the new shoes I bought, and she loved them. She could hardly believe that they once used to be completely white.

The next day as she wore them to school, she was feeling pretty good. When the other kids looked at her feet with a smile, she assumed it was because they were impressed with her "coolness". It wasn't until later in the day when she looked down, that she realized her shoes were dripping black ink.

I guess "permanent" markers aren't so permanent when you walk in the snow!

Dixie

More About Mom

2010-05-16T14:26:00.004-06:00

In an effort to wrap up this past week of Mother's Day stories...

STORY #6

When I was young my hometown sponsored a fair and rodeo every August. My mom always believed in supporting a good cause, so she thought we should enter a few categories wherever we could. Since none of us were competent bull riders, and our dog, "Daisy", suffered from low self-esteem, and didn't like being subjected to pet competitions, we usually had to enter the baking categories: We never really planned on winning, we were just supporting the fair.

I'll never forget the year Mom entered some category. (For lack of knowledge, let's just say it was baking powder biscuits.) When we arrived the next day to see the judged results, we were thrilled - not to mention surprised -- to see that Mom had won third prize!! She'd finally won a ribbon - sure it wasn't a first or second place ribbon, but at least it was a ribbon. She was SO pleased......that is, until she realized she was the only entrant in that category!!

And because this next one was specifically requested...

STORY #7

About 10 years ago The Mr. and I had taken our kids to go spend a little time with my mom. It was a busy morning, and everyone was getting ready and eating breakfast in shifts. I was upstairs pouring myself a bowl of cereal while The Mr. was shaving in the downstairs bathroom. As I sat down to eat, I could see that my cereal was moving!! Upon closer inspection I discovered it was crawling with weevils.

When I informed my mom of the bad news, she immediately started boiling up water in every pot in the house. Within minutes she was heaving potfuls of boiling hot water into the cupboard in hopes of killing the weevils that might be lurking there. Water was EVERYWHERE! Pretty soon, from the bathroom below, we could hear The Mr. yelling, "Ow! What's going on? Ow! There's scalding hot water pouring out of the ceiling all over me!"

Now I realize that my mom's response was a little over-the-top. Most of us would have handled that situation in a slightly more subdued manner. But, seriously, where's the fun in that?

And yes, I DO check the cereal very carefully before I eat it!

Dixie

Making The Best Of Every Situation

2010-05-13T11:29:00.003-06:00

For those who have been following the stories of my mom, let me just say that it's not just me that she embarrasses. She can embarrass anyone -- even herself.

STORY #5

Fast forward about 15 years to the summer of 1993. Daughter #2 was spending two weeks with my mom -- it was her turn for some one-on-one time with Grandma C.

Mom thought it would be fun for the two of them to do some baking, and then take it to her friends at the Hutterite colony. (Now at this point, may I just say that, similar to sewing, baking is not one of my mom's strong points. But I'm sure the ladies at the colony would at least be appreciative of their visit.) Anyway, they decided on baking powder biscuits.

Midway into the recipe, my mom realized she was out of baking powder so she and Daughter #2 went down to the storage room to retrieve some more. My mom found some in a jar labelled "1974". When Daughter #2 questioned whether or not they should still be using it, Mom responded with, "Oh, sure. Baking powder never goes bad." They took the jar upstairs and finished their baking, then rode their bikes to deliver their wares.

When Daughter #2 arrived home, she told us the story of using the outdated baking powder, and hoped it was okay. Then, a couple of weeks later, she got a call from my mom saying, "Do you remember that old jar of baking powder we used for the biscuits? Well, it turns out it wasn't baking powder after all. It was wallpaper paste!!

(No doubt it was last used for a certain snare drum carrying case creation.)

Dixie

Another Story

2010-05-11T21:51:00.002-06:00

STORY #4

Growing up in a small community, we didn't have our own daily newspaper. The newspaper we got came from the city 45 minutes away. In the '70's, the newspapers were completely black and white. There was only one colored picture per year -- on the front page -- and it was always a picture of the same event: Whoop-Up Days. So every July the newspaper would feature a colored picture of someone screaming on one of the rides, a child devouring some cotton candy, a cowboy getting thrown from the back of a bull, etc. For me it was always kind of exciting to see who would be featured on this one colorful newspaper each year.

One summer when I was a teenager, my parents and brother were going in to Whoop-Up Days to attend the rodeo. Two of my friends and I also drove in to the city with them. Our plan was to go to the midway. After determining the meeting place and time, my parents gave us strict intructions to NOT BE LATE, as my dad had to get up early the next morning. We set off to have some fun on all the rides. And have fun we did! In fact, we were having so much fun that we lost all track of time. When I finally realized what had happened, I determined we were over an hour late for meeting up with my parents. It would be an understatement to say that I knew my mom would not be pleased!

I told my friends that we needed to hurry, and began walking as fast as I could hoping they would keep up. They didn't seem to sense the urgency as much as I did. Soon enough I saw my mother coming towards us with a determined look in her eye. When she saw me she said, "There you are!", and picking up a twig off the ground, whacked me across the back of the legs. I started jogging. At this point my friends picked up their pace a little to try and keep up, but still keep their distance from us so as not to be associated with us. My mother turned around to them and said, "You better start moving, or I'll use this on you, too!" They broke into a run, and actually passed me.

I remember the 45-minute drive home being an extremely quiet ride -- no one spoke the entire time. The thought that kept going through my mind was, "Please don't let me be the colored picture in the newspaper tomorrow!" When the paper did arrive the next day, you can bet I ran to check it out. Apparently the stars and planets must have been aligned in my favor, because the picture was only of the ferris wheel all lit up. I breathed a sigh of relief knowing that I wouldn't have to worry about a permanent reminder of this eventful night for the rest of my life. Kind of. I may not have the paper reminder, but I have two friends who still love to bring it up for a good laugh.

Dixie

I Love My Mom

2010-05-10T20:20:00.002-06:00

I really do love my mom. I just needed to clarify that..... in case any of you have gotten the wrong idea from my last couple of posts. Also, my mom is a really good sport, and so it's all good. The fact that she doesn't own a computer might also be in my favour ;)

STORY #3

My first high school dance was pretty exciting. I spent quite a long time getting ready -- I wanted to look just perfect to make a good first impression. It was early September -- a beautiful evening. The weather had been gorgeous all day, and my mom was making the most of it by working in the garden. As I called out to say goodbye to her before leaving, I chuckled to myself as I took note of what she was wearing: a pair of plaid pedal pushers (old-fashioned term for "capris") and a paisley-print shirt. A bright pink chiffon scarf covered the curlers in her hair. "Oh well," I thought, "at least she's just in the backyard -- no one can see how hideous she looks."

I arrived at the high school and was soon on the dance floor with the very boy I hoped would ask me. I had developed a pretty bad crush on him, and was hoping he liked me too. He was a year older, so I really wanted to make a good impression. After only a few more minutes he nervously asked, "Um, isn't that your mom over there?" I looked toward the gymnasium door and was horrified to see my mother standing there -- wearing the exact clothes as when I left her -- calling my name. "Dixie! Dixie!" You didn't clean your room before you left like you promised you would."

I was too embarrassed to try and cut a deal with her, so I just left as fast as I could so that she would have to leave also. I went home and cleaned my room, and to be honest, I can't even remember if I went back to the dance, or not. I suspect it was a case of trauma-induced amnesia. One thing I do remember, though: I never made that mistake again!

Dixie

Happy Mother's Day (again)

2010-05-09T19:28:00.003-06:00

Here it is...

STORY #2

When I was in sixth grade, three other students and I were selected to play the snare drum in the school band. How awesome was that? Anybody could be selected to play those other "boring" instruments, but I was about to become one of the "cool kids" -- a percussionist!

The band instructor sent us each home with a brochure to show to our parents. It contained all the information we needed to order our very own snare drum, complete with a convenient carrying case. After taking a quick peak at the brochure, my mom decided we would take a trip into the city and purchase a used drum instead. As it turned out, the used drum we bought was actually pretty good, but it didn't come with a carrying case. Mom assured me she could make a case for it that would look even better than the ones in the brochure.

On Monday morning as I carried my new drum case into the school, I tried to hold my head high and act like nothing was out of the ordinary. Inside I was dying of embarrassment. Mom had covered a cardboard box with some left over '70's wallpaper, and used an old bathrobe tie as a handle. Somehow I didn't feel quite as cool as I had anticipated.

Dixie

Happy Mother's Day!

2010-05-08T20:15:00.005-06:00

At the beginning of the week, Daughter #3 and I were in the car with the radio on, when a request came from the deejay asking for people to call in with an embarrassing story about their mother. The person with the best story was to win some wonderful prize. We both looked at each other and burst out laughing. To my best recollection the conversation went something like this:

Daughter #3: Mom, you've GOT to call in about Grandma.

Me: Which story would I tell?

Daughter #3: It doesn't matter -- they're all good.

Me: I know they are, but I don't know if I should.

Daughter #3: Mom, do it.

Well, I thought about it. In fact I've thought about it all week. There are so many good stories about my mom that I figured I would post one story each day for a week to celebrate Mother's Day. So, here goes:

STORY #1

When I was in third grade, our elementary school was putting on a Spring Concert. Our class was assigned to dance to "Turkey in the Straw", and each girl needed a full skirt for our number. When I informed my mom that we would need to buy me a new skirt, she replied that she would just make me one. I was a little concerned as Mom wasn't an accomplished seamstress. As the other girls began showing up to school with their new skirts, I was becoming more and more worried because my mom hadn't even started sewing. When I reminded her about the skirt, she promised she'd have a skirt for me in time for the program. And, sure enough, she did. Mom had constructed a very full, pleated, skirt with a large bow.......out of crepe paper and staples!! With 20 minutes to spare, there was no other option -- I had to wear it. The giggling and mocking that took place when I arrived at the school was pretty hard to take. And that was just from the teachers. As we took our place on the stage and waited for the music to start, I hoped no one in the audience would notice my paper dress. That hope was soon dashed when I realized all the snickering in the audience was directed towards me. Even the other kids in the dance were giggling at me. Who knew crepe paper "shooshed" as it brushed against a person's legs?

Dixie

She's Growing Up (Sniff)

2010-05-05T16:35:00.003-06:00

Last night Daughter #3 bought her first cell phone. I suppose that fact in and of itself is not really blog worthy, but there's a bigger issue here. For the past several years, when all of her friends started getting their own phones, she made a conscious decision not to get one. Later when some of them moved on to their second phone (and in one girl's case, her third and fourth), Daughter #3 was even more determined that she wasn't going to get one. She was afraid she might become addicted to the thing, as they had seemingly become. I asked her several times if she minded that she was one of only a handful of teenagers left in North America who hadn't joined the 21st century. She said it didn't phase her a bit.

So imagine my surprise when she woke up yesterday morning and asked me if I'd like to go to the mall with her later that night to pick out a cell phone. As I tagged along, she impressed me with her presence of mind. She went to all the different retail outlets, spoke to the salespersons, got the brochures, and made an informed decision. Even the sales clerk who rang up her purchase complimented her on her maturity of doing it all on her own. I sensed she was pleased with herself.

A few minutes later, as we walked down the mall, I happened to glance over at her. She had that same look on her face that she and both her older sisters had when they first got their ears pierced. I could almost read her thoughts. It was something like: "Okay, act natural, don't look too excited. But, man, I'm SO cool now I can hardly stand it!"

So now that she's joined the 21st century, I guess I probably should, too. Not only should I learn how to text so I can keep in touch with her, I should probably actually remember to take my phone with me. And turn it on.

Dixie

Things Are Looking Up

2010-04-30T11:38:00.002-06:00

For those of you who know me well, you'll appreciate the new image at the top of the side bar. It pretty much says it all when it comes to my lack of computer skills. I have never been (nor I'm afraid ever will be) tech-savvy. The ironic part of this is the fact that I actually figured out how to post it to my blog on the first try!

Have a good one!

Dixie

Living Vicariously

2010-04-23T22:30:00.004-06:00

Today was one of my favorite days of the year -- "Musical Theatre Day" at our community's Music Festival. Each year I always take the day off and just sit and watch all the classes from morning until evening. I love it! Of course it helps that for the past several years one of my own daughters (lovingly referred to as "Daughter #3") has been an active participant. I'm a little envious that I never had the nerve -- not to mention the talent -- to have done it myself when I was young. I guess I'm living a little vicariously. I hope that's okay.

Performing "Jimmy" from "Thoroughly Modern Millie"

Performing "Ring Them Bells" from "Liza With a Z"

I'm already looking forward to next year!

Dixie

Road Trip

2010-04-19T12:26:00.016-06:00

A short while ago Daughter #3 had a week off school, so she and I took a little road trip. Not only was it tons-o-fun to share this time together, but she now has her driver's license, so we got to share the driving, as well. Our first stop was at the home of Daughter #1 and her family. We were looking forward to seeing the two little guys who live there. Can't you just see the mischief in their eyes?

Speaking of eyes, maybe watching "New Moon" was a little too much! (You might have to click on this one to get the full effect.)

A little bonding between sisters:

Our next stop was at Grandma C's. She was rehearsing for her latest gig at the barber shop.

Daughter #3 kept asking this guy to dance, but he just ignored her:

In honor of April Fool's Day, my brother packaged up a ratty old wig in one of Mom's "Paula Young" wig boxes and told her that it had come in the mail. Thinking her most recent order had arrived, she was a little put out when this is what was in the box:

I made everyone try it on to see who looked the funniest.

And the prize goes to:

We got a bunch of the girls together to celebrate Grandma M's birthday at a restaurant in the city. Of course I forgot to get a picture of us seated around the table. By the time I remembered to bring out the camera, we were the only ones left:

We found out a few hours too late that Daughter #2 had been in the city (at the same time we were there) passing time until she was to be at a wedding dinner. She could have joined us, but I had no idea she was even in town. That will teach me for not calling her before I left! We did manage to link up the next day in the Easter candy aisle at Wallmart before we headed out of town.

A little shopping, and a stop at our favorite Chinese Buffet rounded out the trip.

We arrived home in time to spend Easter with The Mr. and Sons 1A and 1B. The response to my healthy easter basket hunt was a little less than enthusiastic. Still, it made a great fruit salad for our Easter dinner.

Thankfully, that trip to the Walmart Easter candy aisle was a little more appreciated than the fruit!

Dixie

2010-03-26T09:51:00.005-06:00

A little over 30 years ago I set off on a new adventure -- I was on my way to college, taking with me not only a lot of courage, but pretty much most of my earthly possessions. My mom made sure I was well equipped, and relinquished some of her older kitchen ware for my use. (Some well-worn muffin tins, a cast iron frying pan, a half-broken toaster.) Nothing was too good for her daughter. In with the mix of supplies was this little beauty:

The Better Homes and Garden "New" Cookbook was hardly new when I received it in 1979. It was, in fact, a wedding gift to my mom and dad in 1952. Just the same, I was happy to have it, as I really knew nothing about culinary procedures. It had everything in it -- canning and freezing techniques, information on all types and cuts of meat, a list of ingredient substitutions, information on quantities for feeding the masses, etc.

Over the past 30 years that book has become a second bible to me. Not that I'm a great cook, but I know that if I ever need any information in the kitchen, it will be there. So for the past several years this prized possession has started looking a little worse for the wear. Both front and back covers have come off, many of the pages are dog-eared, and several have even fallen out and gone missing. Fast forward to 2010:

I've seen the updated versions of this book in stores for the past few years -- usually at Christmas --and always wondered if I should put it on my wish list. (Suggested retail price of $49.99) I guess the cheapskate in me always figured I could get a little more use out of my old one. A couple of months ago, however, I was at Homesense and found the updated version of this book on sale for only $7.99. How could I resist buying it? It was new. It was shiny. It was obviously in much better condition than the old one, and upon closer inspection it not only seemed to have most of the same information, but even a bit more modern information added to it. I went home pleased with my purchase, showing it off to The Mr. and everyone else at home.

I'm sure it's a really great cookbook -- I even gave it a place of honor on my shelf. And yet, two months later, I still can't bring myself to throw away the old one. We've been through a lot together, and somehow it wouldn't seem right to just throw it out. Almost as if I were being unfaithful. Hmm....

Dixie

Kids, Don't Try This at Home!

2010-03-11T09:19:00.002-07:00

The Mr. enjoys eating a couple of boiled eggs for breakfast most mornings, so I happily fix them for him. Yesterday, I figured I would be smart and boil four eggs instead of two and keep the others for the next day. All he would have to do is just peel the shells and warm them up in the microwave. Fast forward to this morning, when he placed the peeled eggs in the microwave and went back to reading the newspaper. It wasn't long before we heard a loud EXPLOSION. Upon opening the microwave door, we discovered little bits and pieces of egg EVERYWHERE!! Apparently you're not supposed to put boiled eggs in the microwave. Who knew? I think a warning label might have been nice. What a mess to clean up!! It makes me wonder if there's a conspiracy among microwave manufacturers to purposely withhold all warning labels just for fun.

P. S.

It didn't help that at the time of the explosion, The Mr. was reading an article about terrorists who are lurking in suburban neighbourhoods. Funny!

Dixie

Sunday School-itis

2010-03-09T11:32:00.004-07:00

Daughter #2 and her husband are off on a week-long adventure of sea, sun and sand. They stayed overnight on Friday so they could catch a flight early the next morning. In their hurry to get to the airport, they left behind a couple of their belongings:

(This is where I would have inserted

a really cute picture of their two

children, but we changed computers

from Windows to a Mac, and I can't

figure out how to post a picture!!!!)

On Sunday morning as I was getting the kids ready for church, it was obvious Hayley was in no mood for being happy. Often when her parents leave her, she misses them so much that it seems she is able to make herself physically sick. I wondered if that was starting to happen. Well, we took her to church anyway, and she was pretty much lethargic through the whole thing. Even in her little "Sunbeam" class for three-year-olds she refused to eat the snack provided, sing the songs, or look at the pictures the teacher was showing. I figured I was going to have a sick little girl on my hands for the next week. When we returned home, however, it seems she had made an amazing recovery -- she was completely healed!! If I didn't know better, I'd think someone was trying to get out of going to church.

Can't really blame her, though. I don't like 9:00 church, either!

Dixie

Spoiled

2010-03-01T09:33:00.004-07:00

I was recently talking to a friend who was talking about how blessed she felt. She used a phrase that caught my attention. She said, "I feel like my heavenly father is spoiling me". What a neat thing to say -- not just "blessed", but "spoiled". I love it! I think her terrific attitude is one of the reasons He is spoiling her.

I'm feeling a little spoiled myself these days. Here are a few of the things that are making me smile:

March is here, the sun is shining, and we've had some pretty incredible weather the past few weeks. Gotta love that!
14 Gold medals! Not too shabby for a polite little country who is used to taking a back seat.
The Mr. He's been SO helpful to me lately. I can't help but love him more and more.
Great kids. Love 'em to pieces!
My grandkids are coming in four days. Looking forward to having their cute little faces around for a while.
Just got back from a fun little winter get-a-way with The Mr. Didn't go anywhere exotic, and had to mix business with pleasure, but it was still tons-o-fun.
Showbiz Kids is extremely enjoyable. The kids are a lot of fun, and I think they're going to do a great job!

Life is good!

Dixie

Thoughts of a middle-aged mind

2010-02-04T10:06:00.003-07:00

I have an obsession with my age. I've known about it for the past eight years, but it's really starting to get on my nerves. If it's bugging me, it must really be annoying my friends and family.

When I turned 40 it was a real eye-opener. Inside I still felt like I was 25, so it was hard to believe that I could really be as old as those other 40-year-olds. I remember having all these thoughts running through my mind:

Do they all feel like they are 25, too?
Do I look as old as her, 'cause I know she's 40?
I wonder if he's 40. He still looks pretty good.
Did my mom feel this way when she turned 40?
What if I look a lot older than 40?
If this is 40, what's 50 gonna be like?

This went on for quite some time until it dawned on me that I was now getting closer to my 41st birthday than my 40th. Then when I was 41, Daughter #2 got married. Granted, she was only 19, but her husband was several years older, so this made me feel really old. Again those thoughts:

I can't believe I'm old enough to have a married daughter -- and a son-in-law!
Do I look as old as other mothers-in-law?

It didn't help that a few months later they announced that The Mr. and I were going to be grandparents. Amidst all the excitement, I still had these nagging questions:

Do I look as old as other grandmothers?
What if I look older than other grandmothers?

A short time later Daughter #1 got married, and within the next few years we ended up with four grandchildren. I love them to pieces, but still... A GRANDMOTHER OF FOUR!! How could that happen when I still felt so young?

The summer before last we were at Calaway Park standing in line to buy tickets. With horror, I read the sign that indicated once you turned 50 you would get the senior rate.

SENIOR? PLEASE!! The Mr. is going to turn 50 next year, and he is far from being a senior.

And if that wasn't bad enough, when I got to the wicket and asked for three tickets, the girl responded with, "Are they all regular-price?"

Does she think we look like seniors? What does she know? -- she's just a kid. Hmph!!

By now I've resigned myself to the fact that I'm old, but I'm not happy with it. Every now and then as I'm visiting with women who are in their 30's, they'll say something like, "Oh, you're just like my mom!"

Really? 'Cause I was kinda hoping we could be friends?

And then if that's not bad enough, when The Mr. turned 50 these same women just assumed I was also 50.

No, really I'm still 47. Please don't rush me!

This past Sunday while visiting with two of my sisters-in-law, the topic of age came up. They both told me of experiences they had where they forgot how old they were, and assumed they were a year older than they really were. It didn't even phase them. I could hardly believe it! Not only did they not remember how old they were, they didn't seem to even care! Wow!

So, now I'm trying to become like them.

Don't think about your age. Don't think about your age. Don't think...

This might take awhile.

Dixie
Age 48 1/4

It's the Little Things...

2010-01-22T11:43:00.003-07:00

As I left my house this morning, I was greeted by the most beautiful sight. Everything was covered with hoarfrost -- it was gorgeous! My happiness level rose by several percent. Especially lovely was the yard next door which is a home to a beautiful weeping willow. I grew up with a weeping willow in our backyard, and I guess that is why I have always loved this sight:

And of course, since I'm not a real photographer, and I only own a "point and shoot", this picture doesn't do the scene any justice. But it really was BEAUTIFUL!! And it really made me happy.

Dixie

"Do You Believe?"

2010-01-13T21:08:00.011-07:00

The Mr. came home early from work today, and I called Daughter #3's high school to give my permission for her to cut class. After all, it's not every day the Olympic torch passes right in front of your house -- carried by a family friend.

A couple of hours prior to this I decided it would be fun to build a snowman -- carrying a torch -- to add to the Olympic spirit. We had plenty of snow, so I knew that wouldn't be the problem. What I wasn't counting on was how hard it would be to build it. It just DID NOT want to stick together. To be truthful, I was a little embarrassed to be building it myself, without any kids -- or at least a friend -- but I'm glad I did it anyway. I even had a little time to make some posters.

We had a perfect spot for watching. A lot of our friends thought so, too, so we ended up having a little impromptu party waiting for the fun to start.

When we realized that other people were gathering outside our house, we decided we better move our party outside to stake out our territory.

A few minutes ahead of schedule the procession started.

The moment we were all waiting for:

Okay, in all the chaos of people trying to take pictures, I zoomed in on the wrong torch bearer. But you get the idea, right?

After the torch was passed:

I invited everyone in for a cup of hot chocolate. But to my dismay, there was only a teaspoon left. And I had 20 people in my house. I decided to try the recipe on the cocoa canister -- not so good -- but everyone was a good sport and drank it anyway.

It was a fun few hours spent with family and friends. Thanks, Corey, for creating a great memory for all of us. We hope you had fun!

Dixie

Three Hours and Forty Minutes

2010-01-07T09:28:00.004-07:00

Under normal circumstances, three hours and 40 minutes isn't really that long. For example if I were attending a Broadway play or window shopping, the time would have flown by. Even if I were cleaning the house or attending a meeting, it still would have passed fairly quickly. But when you're waiting for someone to come home with a key to the house, three hours and 40 minutes feels like forever.

Let me just preface this little story with the fact that it was -31 Celsius. Okay, to be fair, the thermometer reading was only -20, but with the windchill factored in, the radio announced the temperature as feeling like -31. Here's what happened:

I arrived home from grocery shopping at 3:10 in the afternoon. Son #1A walked up the driveway at the same time. He helped me unloaded the groceries from the car, and we went to take them into the house. The front door would not open. (It wasn't locked -- I purposely left it unlocked in case someone beat me home.) The trouble with the door was that the latch must have broken on the inside. We could press down on the thumb tab, but it just stayed down all wobbily, and wouldn't depress. I only had a key to the front door, so I asked my son to use his key to unlock the back door for us, to which he replied, "I don't have a key to the back door, only the front door." At this point we realized we were freezing (did I mention it was -31?), and took the groceries back to the car to wait for someone else to come home with a key to the back door. I left a message of our plight with The Mr. at work, asking him to call me on my cell phone.

We decided to drive to Walmart because Son #1A needed to purchase something, and I really needed to go to the bathroom. The latter reason is no doubt associated with the fact that today was the first day of my "Responsible Eating Plan" which included drinking a lot of water. After taking care of our needs at Walmart, we were wandering around trying to pass the time, when we realized that we better hurry and get home in case someone else was there, also locked out without a key. They would be freezing waiting for us to get home. Luckily no one was there when we arrived. I remembered that it was early dismissal day at school, and Daughter #3 was going to a friend's house after school, and I realized she only has a key to the front door anyway. By now it was about 4:00.

I decided to try and call The Mr. again to have him hurry home, but was informed by the operator that my cell phone had run out of minutes. Of course the phone number to purchase more minutes was locked inside the house. I knocked on one neighbor's house to use their phone. Her car is in the driveway -- I know she's home -- I'll wait. I can hear the dog barking -- waiting, waiting. Okay, I'm starting to freeze. I'll go to the neighbor on the other side. She's a day care provider, so I know someone has to be there with all the children. When I explained my situation, they were more than happy to let me use the phone. I still couldn't get Robert to answer is work phone. I tried his cell -- still no answer. I figured he must have gotten my first message and was on his way home. Yay, we wouldn't have to wait much longer.

Another half hour passed. Naturally we were getting a little bored, so we broke open a bag of tortilla chips and salsa. All this time we are sitting in the driveway with the car running, keeping the car's heat somewhere between "DON'T LET THE EGGS AND PRODUCE FREEZE" and "DON'T LET THE EGGS AND FROZEN ITEMS GET TOO WARM".

The chips were pretty tasty, but I remembered I also had some new crackers I wanted to try. They were pretty good, too! But wait a minute. I shouldn't be sitting here wasting time. I should be trying to chip the packed snow off the driveway while I'm waiting. Okay, that lasted about 5 minutes. Even with my hood on, it was still freezing out there! Back to the car.

By now Son #1A had fallen asleep. I was fairly confident it was just because he was tired (or full). But somewhere in the back of my mind I was wondering if it had anything to do with carbon monoxide poisoning. Realizing it was time to pick up Daughter #3, we waited for the next bus to come by making sure The Mr. or Son #1B weren't getting off, before we left. We had 15 minutes before the next bus arrived. (We didn't want anyone to freeze if they arrived home without a key.)

By now it was about 5:30. Daughter #3 was offered some "supper" from the assortment of chips, salsa and crackers. She needed to get to piano lessons, but of course her lesson money and music books were in the house. I dropped her off anyway, and was able to scrounge up just enough cash from my purse to pay the teacher. I sure hope she didn't mind all those coins.

When I arrived back home, there was still no one there. What's taking these guys so long? They're usually home by now. I was beginning to doubt whether or not The Mr. even had any house keys with him, because he took the bus, and his house keys are on the same key ring as his car keys. We broke open a box of Mini Wheats. So much for my "responsible eating". Within the next half hour The Mr. got off the bus, but just as I suspected, he didn't have a key. He climbed in the car with us, and I "served" him supper.

Daughter #3 was picked up from piano lessons, and we all squeezed into the car with the groceries. We were pinning all our hopes on our last option. Please let Son #1B have a key to the back door! We waited and ate, then waited some more, and ate some more watching one bus after another pass by our house without stopping. Knowing that the next bus to come by would be the last possible bus for the evening, we all fixed our gaze on the bus stop across the street from our house. At 6:50 the last bus pulled to a stop. Is he on it? Yes, that's him!! Now, please let him have a key. The Mr. jumped out of the car to meet him at the end of the driveway. We all watched intently. The Mr. raised his hand in a triumphant gesture. Hallelujah! We grabbed the groceries and followed him to the back door. It was so good to be home!

Of course, being that it was almost 7:00, Son #1B was eager to have some supper. We informed him that we'd already eaten.

And may I just say, the Tostitos zesty bean and nacho salsa was delish!

I Can't Quit Smiling

2010-01-05T20:18:00.002-07:00

Today I started another session of "Showbiz Kids" -- my musical theater group for children. I've been doing this off and (mostly) on for years, and I love it! September is my usual start-up time, but when this past September rolled around, I only had three students registered. So, I was forced to call it off. (After all, how can you put on a production with only three children?) That was kinda sad for me, and I've really been missing it these past couple of months.

But today was the official start date for a new session -- and I have enough kids to make it work. Yay!! The kids look like they're going to be a fun group, and I'm excited about the little production we'll be putting on. I've got so many fun ideas going through my head. I can hardly wait until next Tuesday.

I can't quit smiling!